Road-machine.



J. M. LARSH.

ROAD MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.'18. 19 13.

1,124,625, Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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1HE NORRIS PETERS C0,. FHOTC-LITHEL, WASHINGTON, D, C-

J. M. LARSH.

ROAD MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED D2018. 19 13.

1,12%,625, Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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J. M. LARSH ROAD MAGHINE.

APPLIUATIOH FILED DEG. 18. 1913.

1,124,625,, Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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rInTTnp STATES PATENT orrren JOHN M. LARSH, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN HIGHWAY SUPPLY COMPANY, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

ROAD-MACHINE.

Application filed December 18, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. LARsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to road repair machines wherein two scraper-blades are supported from a frame, which, in turn, is carried by a two-wheeled truck having a tongue to which draft animals are hitched, and the object of the invention isFirst, to connect the draft bars with the tongue and blade-supporting frame by adjustable means whereby the pull of a team at starting will be first on the blade-supporting frame and then on the tongue and truck as well as said frame, in order to ease the strain on the animals and machine at said initial periods, but whereby the pull will always be principally upon the blade-supporting frame, direct. Second, to provide ready means for changing the angles of the two scraper-blades with each other, whereby both blades may be set parallel with each other and with the direction of travel of the machine, or both blades may be set V- shaped or equally oblique to each other at any desired angle, or, whereby each blade may be at a different angle to the direction of travel of the machine, as, for example, when one blade is parallel with the direc* tion of travel so as to prevent side draft or lateral strain on the carrying-truck, or sidepull on the team, at the same time that the other'blade is at a greater angular distance from the axis of the road than usual in. order to scrape a wider road portion and bring the outside loose earth toward the center of the road. Third, to provide means for raising or lowering the blades independently of each other as whenmore work is; required on one side of the road than on the other. Fourth, to provide means for elevat-- ing the rear ends of the blades for drift-- ing the material when finishing the road. Fifth, to provide means for changing the pitch of the blade to either side of a vertical plane, as backward when trimming ofi' the ridges made by traiiic in the road surface and drawing the gravel or dirt to the center of the road, and forward when the blades are used to press the water out ofi Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 12, 1915.

Serial No. 807,420.

wet material and to smooth and paste that material down.

I accomplish the above and other objects which will hereinafter appear by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of a road machine containing my improvements, the axle of the two-wheeled truck being broken away at its middle portion and shown in dotted lines and the scraper-blade on the left side of the machine being shown in full lines in a position oblique to the direction of travel of the machine and in dotted lines in a position parallel to the direction of travel. F ig. 2 is a top plan view on the line 22 of Fig. 1, the scraper-blade and its supportingframe being shown in a raised position. Fig. 3 is a detail on a larger scale of the means for attaching the draft-bar to the tongue of the machine, the draft-bar being shown in vertical cross section. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the rear member of the frame which supports the scraper-bars showing the connection between a scraper-bar and said rear frame member, the view being on a larger scale than any of the preceding figures. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows. This figure shows the limit of movement of the scraper-bar in the tilting adjustment of the latter, in dotted lines, and Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation of the means for connecting the front end of the scraper-bar with the front member of the frame to which the scraper-bars are fastened.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

A truck-frame 7, here shown as formed out of angle iron or steel and rectangular in shape, is mounted upon an axle 8 which in turn is supported by the two wheels 9.

10 is a tongue which is secured to the frame 7, and secured to the tongue is a draft-bar 11 to which draft animals are hitched in the usual manner. This comprises a two-wheeled truck to which the other parts of my improved road machine are attached, as hereinafter described.

Located below the truck frame 7 is a scraper-bar supporting-frame of general rectangular shape comprising a. front T-bar 12 and a rear T-bar 13 which are connected together. by the right angle bars 14 and diagonal braces 15. The T-bars 12 and 13 are inverted so as to present their stems uppermost, and the broad or base portions thus provided form the sliding supports for the attachment thereto of suitable scraper bar connections. y

The bars 1% are each pivotally connected substantially at their middle portions with a block 16 (shown in dotted lines in Fig.

2), which block 16 is connected with an upper block 17 by me'ans of a pair of substantially vertical bars 18, the blocks 16 and 17 and bars 18 forming a substantially rigid frame. The upper block 17 is pivotally' con.-

nected with a vertical rack-bar 19, the teeth of which are in engagement with the teeth of a pinion 20 mounted on a shaft 21, The

shaft 21 is mounted in a frame 22 which is supported above the truck-frame 7 upon legs 23 resting upon said frame 7. The scraper-blade supporting fra'me is thus pivf otally su ported and is adapted tobe raised andlowered a vertical travel of the rackbars 19, and said rack-bars are independently adjusted in a vertical direction to thereby independently raise aiid lower the ends of the ,scraperfblade frame by inde'-' pendently, rotating shaft 21 carrying the pinions 201. Mounted on the, inner ends of the shaft 21 are worm wheels 2 1 which are in operative engagement with worms 25 on shafts 26. The shafts 26 are provided with cranks by which the shafts and their worms are rotated. The gear ratio of this power transmission is so proportioned as to enable the rack-bars and their suspended connections to be raised and lowered with lit tle effort on the part of the operator, and because of the independent equipment for each of the two ends of the scraper-blade supporting frame the corresponding ends of said fiame may be independently raised and lowered thereby enabling the depth to which the scraper blades cut the road surface to be regulated and varied for the two sides of the road.

The scraperblade supporting frame being suspended from pivots on blocks 16 is thereby adapted to be tilted to raise or lower the froht bar 12 and oppositely raise or iower the rear bar 13. The frame with the attached scraper-bars is heavier at the rear than in front of the pivotal supports of the frame whereby said rear portion of the structure will be lowered automatically by gravity when unsupported. In order to raise this rear portion and correspondingly lower the front, I support a sheave wheel 28 by anexteiision 29} from the truck-frame 7 and attach one end of a chain 30 to the rear 13 and carry it thence up to and over the wheel 28 thence to the'iower end cf a hand-lever '3lfto which the ether downward direction.

end of the chain is attached. The handlever 31 passes through a slot in the tongue 10 and is" pivoted to the tongue and is locked by a pawl and toothed segment in the usual manner at any desired position of the lever.

.By this means the rear end of the scraperbar carrying frame may be elevated thereby tilting the front end correspondingly in a This is often desirable for drifting the road material in finishing the road.

The clevis 32 in which the draft-bar 11 is pivoted" has a rear plate extension 33 which is connected by a plurality of draft rods, here shown as four in number with the front bar 12 of the scraper-blade frame. By this construction the draft connection is made directly with the scraper-blade frame rather than entirely through the truckframe, The tongue 10 has an underside plate 34:, secured. to it in any suitable and usual manner, and this plate has downwardly bent ends which supportja bolt 35. The clevis 32 has an upwardly extended lug 36 with a hole through it to receive the bolt 35 upon which it is assembled. The size of the lug 36 is considerably less in t'he direction ofthe length of the bolt than is the distance between the downwardly bent ends of the plate 3-12 whereby a sliding adjustment ofthe lug upon the bolt 35 is secured which lessens the abr'uptne'ss of the strain on the team and on the machine at starting. A seat 37-s'up'ported from the truck by a spring bar 38, is conveniently located for access to the lever 31 and cranks 27.

The scraper-bars are two in number and are supported near their front ends from the front frame-bar 12 by connection which are stationary in their attachment to the scraper-bars but which are adjustable lon gitudinall'y of the frame-bar. The scraperbars are supported near their rear ends from the rear frame-bar 13 by connections-which are adjustable longitudinally of the scraper bars and also of the frame-bar. The connections at front and rear comprise vertical pins 39 and like superimposed connections With the respective bars 12 and 13, which will presently be described. The pins 39 for the front connections enter suitable sockets in bosses 40 on plates 41 which are bolted in a fixed manner to the scraper-bar and blade as shown in Figs, 2 and 6. The pins 39 for the rear connections enter suitable sockets in bosses 40 on plates 42. The plates 41 and 12 have hook-shaped upper ends which hook over the top of the scraper-bar and blade.

43 is the scraper-blade of usual construction whichis reinforced by an angle scraper blade bar 44 to which the blade is fastened, and for a suitable distance at the rear end of the bar 4 1 is a T-bar 45 (see Figs. 2 and 5). The plate is is channeled on the side next to the scraper-blade, as shown in Fig.

5, to receive the T-bar with a close sliding fit. This permits of the adjustment of the plate 42 longitudinally of the scraperblade while preventing its removal therefrom laterally and only permitting of re moval by being slid off of the end of the T-bar 45. The bosses 40 on both front and rear plates have horizontal slots 46 to receive set screws 47 seated in pins 39, to retain the pins in said sockets. The sliding adjustment of the plate 42 on bar 45 is made easier by friction wheels 48 carried by the plate 42 and bearing against the under edge of the bar 45.

As the means for connecting the pin 39 with bars 12 and 13 is the same for both of said bars, and for each end of the same scraper-bar, a single description will sutlice for all of said means. The upper end or head of pin 39 is flattened to enter an elongated vertical slot in a lever 49, where it is pivotally secured by means of a bolt 50, and extending laterally of the head is an arm 51 terminating with a segmental plate 52 having a series of bolt-holes concentric with pin to receive a pin 53 which is passed through one of said holes and also through corresponding holes in the lever 49. This provides means for adjusting the cutter-blade in its angular relation to the road surface. The cutter-blade is shown in Fig. 5 in vertical relation to the road, and its maximum adjustment in either direction from the vertical is indicated by dotted lines. These positions are obtained by shifting the pin 53 to a corresponding one of the adjacent holes in the plate 52, or more accurately by withdrawing the pin from where it is now shown and moving the plate 52 so as to bring the required hole in the plate into register with the holes in lever 49 and then inserting the pin 53.

The lever 49 is pivoted by means of a vertical bolt 54, between a pair of horizontal plates 55. A. short end 56 of said lever extends freely between the plates for a suitable distance to insure the necessary bearing to hold the opposite end of the lever against vertical displacement. The two plates 55 are preferably connected by vertical walls, the inner one of which is integral with a horizontal plate extension 57 which contacts with the lower side of the base of the inverted T-bar comprising either of the bars 12 or 13. The outer edge of the plate extension 57 is formed upwardly into a hook 58 which embraces the base-plate as shown and an overhanging portion of the top-plate 55 embraces the opposite edge of the base plate in the manner thoroughly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The hooked edge 58 is perforated in alinement with a similar perforation in plate 57, and the adjacent base-plates of bars 12 and 13 have suitable holes at required intervals to receive bolts 59 by which a given adjustment of the above described parts along said bars 12 and 13 may be retained.

The machine in practice is of such proportions that when the scraper-blades are set in the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 1, it will scrape both sides of the average 11 feet wide road at one passage of the machine over it and deposit the scrapings in the middle of the road. For a wider than an 11 foot road one of the blades will be shifted to a position parallel with the direction of travel of the machine, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the other blade will be changed to the proper position oblique to the first blade. This first or parallel blade will be drawn lightly on the surface of the road to prevent any side draft or lateral strain on the carrying trucks or side-pull on the team while the opposite blade will act to direct the outside loose earth and gravel toward the center of the road. This operation will be repeated for the other side of the road, after which the road will be finished by driving the machine over the middle of it with the blades set as in Fig. 1. The ridge of material deposited at the center of the road is properly shaped by contact therewith of a third scraper-blade 60 which is trailed at the rear of the machine. This blade 60 is riveted to the angle bars 61 which are in turn hinged to the truck-frame 7 By the above described construction the two scraper-blades may be independently adjusted in their angular relation to each other and to the direction of travel of the machine; they may be independently adjusted in their distance from the surface of the road by the mechanism actuated by cranks 27; they may be tilted or raised higher at their rear ends than at their front ends'by means of the lever 31 and the pitch of the blades may be set backward for trimming off the ridges or forward to drag over the road surface and paste and smooth down the gravel or dirt, said change in the pitch of the blade being secured by changing the pin 53 in the holes of the plate 52.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness as regards details of construction and arrangement and as being embodied in certain precise forms, I do not desire to be limited thereto unduly or any more than is pointed out in the claims. On the contrary I contemplate all proper changes in form, construction, and arrangement. the om ssion of immaterial elements and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or as necessity mav render expedient.

I claim 1. In a road machine, a scraper-blade, a suppo ting frame, a bracket securing one end of the blade to the frame, said bracket being fixed on the blade but adjustable on the frame, a second bracket also securing the blade'to the frame, said second bracket being adjustable longitudinally of both blade and frame.

2. In a road" machine, a scraper-blade, a supporting frame, a bracket securing one end of the blade to the frame, said bracket being fixed on the blade but adjustable on the frame, a second bracket also securing the blade to the frame, said second bracket being adjustable longitudinally of both blade and frame, and means for varying the transverse angular relation of the blade to the frame.

3. In a road machine, a frame, a pair of substantially rectangular sheet-metal scraper-blades depending from the frame on opposite sides of the machine with one longitudinal edge of each blade contacting the ground and the blades oblique to each other, blade attachments in pairs for each blade secured to the frame and adjustable longitudinally of the frame, each of said attachments having swivelly united upper and lower members and one of said attachments for each blade being adjustable longitudinally of its blade whereby either one of the blades may be set parallel with the direction of travel to reduce the side draft when the other blade is set more than normally oblique.

4. In a road machine,a frame, a pair of substantially rectangular sheet-metal scraper-blades depending from the frame on opposite sides of the machine with one longitudinal edge of each blade contacting the ground and the blades oblique to each other, blade attachments in pairs for each blade secured to the frame and adjustable longitudinally of the frame, each. of said attachments having swivelly united upper and lower members, one of said attachments for each blade being adjustable longitudinally of its blade, and means for independently raising and lowering the ends of the frame to correspondingly raise or lower the blades whereby either one of the blades may be set parallel with the direction of travel to reduce the side draft when the other blade is set more than normally oblique.

5. In a road machine, a frame, a pair ofsubstantially rectangular sheet-metal scraper-blades depending from the frame on opposite sides of the machine with one longitudinal edge of each blade contacting the ground and the blades oblique to each other, blade attachments in pairs for each blade secured to the frame and adjustable longitudinally of theframe,'each of said attachments having swivelly united upper and lower members, one of said attachments for each blade being adjustable longitudinally of its blade, means for independently raisof substantially ing and lowering the ends of the frame to longitudinal edge of each blade contactingv the ground and the blades oblique to :each other, blade attachments in pairs for each blade secured to the frame and adjustable longitudinally of the frame, each of said attachments having swivelly united upper and lower members, one of said attachments for each blade being adjustable longitudinally of its'blade and means for independently varying the pitch of the blades whereby either one of the blades may be set parallel with the direction of travel to reduce the 1 side draft when the other blade is set more than normally oblique.

7. In a road machine, a frame, a pair rectangular scraper-blades depending from the frame sheet-metal on opposite sides of the machine with one longitudinal edge of each blade contacting the ground and the blades oblique to each other, blade attachments in pairs for each blade secured to the frame and adjustable longitudinally of the frame, each of said attachments having swivelly united upper and lower members, one of said attachments for each blade being adjustable longitudinally of its blade and means for tilting the frame to longitudinally tilt the blades whereby either one of the blades may be set parallel with the direction of travel to reduce the side draft when the other blade is set more than normally oblique.

8. In a road machine, a frame, a pair of substanitally rectangular sheet-metal scraper-blades depending from the frame on opposite sides of the machine with one longitudinal edge of each blade contacting the ground and the blades oblique to each other, blade attachments in pairs for each blade secured to the frame and adjustable longitudinally of the frame, each of said attachments having swivelly united upper and lower members, one of said attachments for each blade being adjustable longitudinally of its blade, means for independently raising and lowering the ends of the frame to independently raise or lower the blades, means for independently varying the pitch of the blades and means for tilting the frame to longitudinally tilt the blades set parallel with the direction of travel to reduce the side draft when the other blade is set more than normally oblique.

9. In a road machine, a horizontal framebar, a lever-supporting member secured to the bar and adjustable longitudinally thereof, a horizontally swinging lever pivoted to said lever-supporting member, said lever having an elongated vertical slot, a vertical swivel-pin having its flattened upper end pivotally secured in said slot, said upper end having a lateral arm extension terminating with a plate having a series of holes in an arc concentric with the pivotal connection of the swivel-pin with the lever, said lever having holes to register with those of the plate, a locking pin passing through the holes of the lever and one of the holes of the plate, a scraper-bar, members secured thereto having a socket to receive said swivel-pin, and means to prevent the accidental removal of the pin from the socket.

10. In a road machine, a horizontal frame-bar, a lever-supporting member secured to the bar and adjustable longitudinally thereof and comprising a pair of parallel plates, a horizontal lever pivotally secured between said plates with one end extending between the plates and supported thereby and the other end projecting beyond the plates and provided with a longitudinal vertical slot, a swivel-pin having its upper end pivotally secured in said lever slot and having a plate extension with a series of holes concentric to the pivot pin and registering one at a time with holes in the lever, a pin entering the holes in the lever and a hole in the plate to lock the plate, a scraper-bar, a plate secured to the scraperbar and adjustable longitudinally thereof, said plate having an extension with a vertical socket to receive the swivel-pin, and means to prevent the accidental removal of the pin from the socket.

11. In a road machine, a pair of scraperblades, a blade-supporting frame, a truckframe above the blade-supporting frame, means below the truck-frame for pivotally suspending each side of the blade-supporting frame, said last means being suspended from pivots above the truck-frame, means for independently raising and lowering each side of the blade-supporting frame, and means for tilting the frame on its pivotal support.

12. In a road machine, a pair of scraperblades, a blade-supporting frame, a truckframe supported on wheels above the bladesupporting frame, means pivoted above the truck-frame for independently suspending each side of the blade-supporting frame at the middle of the frame from pivots located below the truck-frame, a tongue fastened to the truck-frame, a draft-bar supported by the tongue, a clevison the draft-bar, and a draft-rod connecting the clevis with the blade-supporting frame.

13. In a road machine, a pair of scraperblades, a blade-supporting frame, a truckframe supported by wheels above the bladesupporting frame, a tongue fastened to the truck-frame, means for suspending the blade-supporting frame from the truckframe, a clevis supported by the tongue, a draft bar supported by the clevis, draft rods connecting the clevis with the blade-supporting frame, and means to permit the draft bar and clevis to move forward a limited distance at starting without exerting any pull on the truck-frame and tongue.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 24th day of October, A. D. one thousand nine hundred' and thirteen.

JOHN M. LARSH. a 8.

Witnesses:

J. A. MINTURN, F. IV. WoERNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

